The organism Candida albicans is a yeastlike imperfect fungus of the family Cryptococcaceae, order Moniliales, characterized by producing yeast cell, mycelia, pseudomycelia and blastospores. This organism is commonly part of the normal flora of the skin, mouth, intestinal tract and vagina, but under certain conditions can cause a variety of infections, including vaginitis, thrush, dermatocandidiasis and bronchocandidiasis. Such infections are particularly problematic in immunocompromised individuals, such as those with AIDS.
Although methods have been developed for the detection of fungal infections, these methods often fail to discriminate between Candida albicans and other Candida species. Thus, the need exists for improved methods for the detection of Candida albicans.